Tompsant History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The roots of the distinguished surname Tompsant can be found in Scotland. The name is derived from the popular given name Thomas, an Aramaic name meaning "twin," and refers to "a son of Thomas or Thom." The spelling of the name with a "p" distinguishes the family from the Thomsons, who were a Scottish Clan originally known as MacThomais.

Early Origins of the Tompsant family

The surname Tompsant was first found in Cumberland, where the Tompsant family held a family seat from ancient times. However, some of the family were found at Shotton in Durham. "The family of Thompson held property here, chiefly by copy of court-roll, at least as early as the reign of Elizabeth; and from them the estate came by marriage, in the middle of the last century, to the Brandlings." [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.

Tompsant Spelling Variations

Early Notables of the Tompsant family (pre 1700)

Notable amongst the family at this time was Sir William Thompson (1614-1681), English politician, Member of Parliament for the City of London (1661 to 1679); Sir Henry Thompson (ca. 1625-1683) was an English wine merchant and politician, Lord Mayor of York (1663), Member of Parliament for York (1673-1683); and his son... Another 71 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Tompsant Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Tompsant family to Ireland

Some of the Tompsant family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.Another 94 words (7 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Tompsant family to the New World and Oceana

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Edward Thompson, who was one of the passengers on the "Mayflower" in 1620; David Thompson, who settled in Maine in 1623; William Thompson, who immigrated to Virginia in 1653.

The Tompsant Motto

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.